Piano.



P. A. KNIGHT.

PIANO.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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PIANO. 0 APPLIUATION FILED l1mm, 191

Patented Dec. 16, 1913. 1,081,537.

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uToN. D. c, COLUMBIA PMNQGRAIN a.. @um v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. KNIGHT, OF BRAZIL, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO KNIGHT-BRINKERHOFIF PIANO COMPANY, OF BRAZIL, INDIANA.

PIANO.

T0 all whomz't may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK A. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brazil, Clay county, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pianos.

The objects of the invention are to provide a construction of piano in which a full metal string-plate with a detachable cap-plate or name-plate is associated with the sounding board, rest plank and other parts in such form that the parts are strengthened and the cap-plate, which is also the name-plate, can be readily changed and preserve the advantage of being able to supply a full metal string-plate with any suitable name cast thereon. Heretofore in accomplishing this result, a portion of the string-plate has been entirely cut away and the name-plate has been let into it in such a way as to materially weaken the string-plate and interfere with its most infective operation, whereas, with my device, the structure is a distinct improvement over the name-plate cast integral with the string-plate.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specication.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claim.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure l is a front view of a met-al piano string-plate mounted on the sounding board, the strings being omitted. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the upper part of the same structure showing the name-plate detached. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, somewhat enlarged, showing the relation of the stringplate, name-plate, wrest plank, strings and other parts to each other, the same being taken on the irregular line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the line.

In the drawing, similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 6, 1910.

Patented Deo. 16,1913.

serial No. 575,985.

Considering the numerals of reference, the sounding board 1 and the wrest plank 2 are of the usual form, the same being carried by uprights 2. To these are secured a full metal string plate 8 by the screws 4, such metal string plate having a rib 5 at its top edge except at the treble end and a rib 6 at its side edge. The upper righthand or treble portion of this string plate is flat and thin, about one-half the usual thickness, beyond the tuning-pins. A cap-plate or name-plate is conformed thereto and ts the said flat space.

The oapor name-plate 7 is ribbed at its upper edge at S, corresponding to the upper rib 5 of the string-plate, and has a rib 9 at its edge corresponding to the rib 6 of the string-plate. This capor name-plate is secured in place by screws 10-10 through the upper part thereof, which extend through the string-plate into the wrest plank, and smaller wood screws 11-11 at intervals through the surface thereof. The full metal plate is made thin at this place, as indicated, and the full thickness is made up by the added thickness of this capor naine-plate. This produces a structure which is of quite flexible layers, and, by using a number of screws as indicated, the parts can be drawn very securely together and snugly against the wrest plank. Because the iron frame is made comparatively thin at this point and reinforced by an additional plate, the same can be drawn tight and fitted very snugly up against the wrest plank without causing undue strain on said plank, and all of the parts, when clamped, will be held against warping and becoming uneven, and the effects of any warping of the casting will be overcome by the plurality of plates clamped together drawn against the wrest plank itself. The clamping of the layers when the parts conform to and lit snugly the one against the other insures rigidity in the position clamped, because the parts cannot spring without the one moving on the other. The said cap plate and string-plate are of substantially the same thickness. The cornbined thickness of these plates is substantially the thickness of the usual string-plate at this point in substantially the proportions illustrated in the drawing. It has been discovered that, where this plate is not bedded firmly and solidly to the wrest-plank, pianos will not stay in tune. When the stringplate is thin enough, it can be brought down by means of the cap-plate secured by screws therethrough into close contact with the wrest plank and lie over the same smoothly and snugly, when the staying in tune quality of the instrument is materially helped. The strings are attached to this instrument in the usual way by looping over a pin l2 on the string-plate, passing the saine over a bridge 14 and extending up to a tuning-pin l5, which is inserted through a wood bushing l@ in the string-plate into the wrest plank 2 back of the plate, all as clearly appears in Fig. B. It is possible to ditch the cap-plate, which is also the name-plate, and substitute aV new one, having the desired name thereon, with no disturbance or only slight interference with the adjustment of the strings, so that little or no attention need be given to tuning the instrument after such change of naine-plate. The cap plate is the name plate. It serves an added and very important function in addition to its function as a naine plate, as has been pointed out.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In an upright piano, the combination with the sounding board and wrest plank, of a metal string-plate having strings and tuning pins thereon of substantially the full dimension of the sounding board at its top and having a rib at the margin and having a plane surface at the upper treble end bcyond the tuning pins, a metal cap-plate with a plane surface conformed to closely lit the said plane surface of said string-plate when clamped thereagainst and provided with a rib at its outer margin in alinelnent with the margin of said string-plate, the said capplate and string plate being of substantially the saine thickness and their combined thickness being proportioned to withstand the strain, and screws disposed through said cap-plate and said string-plate into the wrest plank whereby the whole is snugly conformed to the wrest plank and the capplate forced against the string-plate and the parts intimately clamped together, thus reinforcing and strengthening and stilfening the said string-plate, substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. KNIGHT. [1.. s]

IVitnesses V. B. BmNKEnI-ioifr, C. Y. MGCLURE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, b'y addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 11C. 

